A force limitation device serves to make possible a movement between two components when a predetermined force or a predetermined torque is exceeded between them. The movement which then occurs can be converted for example into an additional path for deceleration for example of a vehicle occupant, whilst through the relative movement for example the belt webbing is released from a belt spool of a belt retractor.
Such force limitation devices are known in the most varied of embodiments. One problem in these force limitation devices consists in that under certain circumstances a characteristic of resistance over relative movement is desired, which drops. In the case of two components which are rotatable to each other, this means that it is desired that the torque necessary for the rotation of the two components relative to each other drops with a progressive angle of rotation. Such a characteristic can either not be achieved at all with the force limitation devices known hitherto or can only be achieved with a high structural expenditure.
The object of the invention therefore consists in providing a force limitation device which makes possible in a simple and reliable manner a characteristic of resistance over relative movement, which drops.